I tell a lot of people there are exciting things happening in Washington County and two examples have popped up recently in Hillsboro.

First, the City of Hillsboro is forming a new citizen subcommittee to advise the City on issues pertaining to biking and walking for transportation. And second, Hillsboro is unveiling significant roadway improvements — including a separated cycle track — leading to the Fair Complex MAX station on April 20th.

The new citizen subcommittee, dubbed the Active Transportation Subcommittee, is actually one of two new groups to advise their Transportation Committee. The second group will focus on motor vehicles and public transit. Hillsboro Transportation Planner Brad Choi explained how the two subcommittees will work:

“The idea is that the two groups would function separately for the most part; but when the occasion arises where a consensus or joint decision needs to be made, delegates from each group would be brought together to hash out the issues. The overall group would be called the ‘Multimodal Transportation Advisory Committee’ and the two subcommittees would both be part of that overall group.”

Choi says they’re actively recruiting members for the Multimodal Transportation Advisory Committee (MMTAC). Anyone interested in applying to be on the committee can learn more by reading Hillsboro’s Planning Department news or by downloading an MMTAC flyer (PDF) and MMTAC application (PDF).

And even if you don’t think serving on a committee is for you, you still might be interested in the roadway improvements being unveiled on April 20th.

The new facilities include safe, separated facilities for all modes of transportation and are just “Phase 1” of a two-part project to improve conditions for people who live, work, and travel in the area. Again, here’s Choi:

“The new facility will connect NE 28th Ave to NE 34th Ave just south of the Washington County Fairground, connecting the Hillsboro

Airport/Fair Complex MAX station to the intersection of 28th Ave/Grant St. The roadway cross section will include a 7’ cycle track and 8’ sidewalk separated by a planter strip on both sides of the road. Phase 2 of the project will pick up at 34th Ave and connect east to Brookwood Pkwy.”

Although the new roadway, especially Phase 1 alone, isn’t very long it does provide a vital link to public transportation for anyone looking to get to or from the MAX. It will also serve as an example of how, even in an American suburb, a road can be built to safely and comfortably accomodate everyone regardless of how they’re transporting themselves.

The official unveiling of the new roadway begins at 1pm, sharp, on April 20th. If you’d like to attend you can take a look at the event flyer (PDF) and Hillsboro is asking you to RSVP to (503) 681-6146.

— This story by contributor Will Vanlue was originally posted on his blog, The Prudent Cyclist. Read more of our Washington County coverage here.

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10 Comments

AllanApril 12, 2012 at 11:12 am

The cycletrack is rideable now. Unfortunately it doesn’t really connect on the east end to anything, but it rides like Cully with less curb-cuts for driveways

The bike route really should be on the left side, with pedestrians to the right. This maintains the usual “slower traffic keep right” format, and it’s how it is done in the Netherlands and other high-quality infrastructure places.

This is a big deal. Every MAX station should have cycle tracks extending perpendicular to the tracks. And secure bike parking. When that happens, I think we’ll see a significant jump in the number of people riding their bikes to light rail.